Maybe You're Not So Stupid After All
by Pupcake125
Summary: Kensei is total tsundere. I think that's been clear since episode 285. And even though he refuses to show his pent up feelings for Mashiro, this situation just may change his mind. My first Kensei x Mashiro. We need more of these. This pairing is so dysfunctional it's cute.


**Hey, guys. Sorry it's been so long since I've worked on anything. A lot has been happening at school and home here and it's really been bringing me down. Um, so this is a little Kensei x Mashiro fic I came up with. The reason why I like this couple is because it's so obvious it's like a brick flying right at your face. In episode 285 when Kensei said he wasn't "avenging" Mashiro, we ALL know that was complete bullshit and Kensei is one huge muscly lump of tsundere. He has feelings for her. He just won't admit it. Instead, he shows it through punching things... so, here it is. I hope you like it!**

* * *

'_Damn..._' Kensei cursed to himself as he took another hesitant step over the rickety bridge. Kensei wasn't one to be afraid of heights, or anything really, but this bridge was possibly thousands of years old, unsteady as hell, and far up in the air with a raging river below. Worst yet: his squad was behind him, all of them just as wary of the path to possible death.

"Captain, I think we should turn back..." Eishima said nervously behind him. He had a point, but they were so close to the other side. They couldn't turn back now.

"Stay strong, Shinobu. We're almost to the other side. Just take one step at a time and don't look down." Kensei said over his shoulder. Eishima gulped as he took another step. He, on the other hand, _was_ afraid of heights. And Kensei could sense his nervous spiritual pressure building up inside of him.

As all five men crossed the cavern Kensei had almost forgotten just _why _he was crossing this dangerous bridge over a raging water chasm. It was a mission requested by the Head Captain to exterminate a certain hollow wreaking havoc across this bridge. However, there was no hollow in sight, so Kensei was skeptical about all of this. The major question was: How the hell would a Hollow manage to cross this thin, deteriorating bridge in the first place?

Kensei froze stiff as his foot made the wooden plank on the bridge creak and crack. Sweat fell from his face. This bridge was nearly 100 feet across and Kensei and his team was barely past the half point. With a calmed sight, Kensei continued walking, his grip tightening on the ropes at his side.

'_This damn thing is going to die instantly with the bullshit I'm going through..._' Kensei thought angrily. He was going to slice this Hollow to bits once he got across. If there was a Hollow...

"Kenseeeeei!" an annoyed shriek echoed in the canyon, almost shaking the wooden bridge and making Kensei cringe heavily. He whipped around and glared at his green-haired lieutenant.

"Mashiro! What's your problem!" he roared over his mens' shoulders to the short woman. Mashiro was pouting angrily as she flailed her arms about.

"I dropped by taiyaki in the river!" she wailed. "This mission was stupid! I don't know why you even took this mission in the first place, Kensei, you stupid idiot! You owe me a new taiyaki!" she cried. If Kensei's four men weren't in his way he would've happily pushed Mashiro off into the river with her stupid fish cake.

"You idiot!" Kensei roared. "You almost got us killed! Keep quiet will you before you really kill us!" he yelled back at her.

"But you're yelling too!" she retorted. Kensei felt a vein pop in his head.

"We don't have time to argue over you dumb cake! Keep moving before we all die!" he yelled. Eishima suddenly went pale.

"Eh, sir... you're not making our situation any better." he shivered. Kensei groaned in irritation and turned the other way. He had to ignore her. It was either that or send his blood pressure rising again.

Kensei and his squad began walking again, ignoring Mashiro's rant about how dumb Kensei is and how he's not cut out to be captain and that she deserves all his paychecks to buy all the cake and candy she wanted. Kensei didn't know how long he was going to last with her chattering off like that. But at least the end of the bridge was not that far away.

"Captain... do you feel that?" Tōdō suddenly said. Kensei was about to ask what he meant when he was hit by a massive wave of spiritual pressure. It was so intense that the whole bridge shook and everyone had to hold onto the ropes to keep from falling.

"C-Captain!" Eishima exclaimed. Kensei was frozen in place. The bridge was really shaking now. What the hell was that?!

When the spiritual pressure was beginning to die down, there was a loud sound of... roaring? Kensei looked around, and coming from the left side of him was a huge wave of water. His eyes went wide.

"The river... it's overflowing and coming our way!" Kensei yelled. "Everyone, this way! Hurry!" Kensei abandoned all sense of cautiousness and bolted down the long stretch of the bridge remaining, along with everyone else. Their run was cut short when the massive wave of water hit the bridge and knocked everyone off their feet. Kensei fell to his knees and kept a vice-like grip on the rope as the wave pushed at him. After a few seconds, the wave passed, but the current was still high and faster than ever. Panting, Kensei tried to get to his feet when yet another wave struck him down with force. He fell to his knees again, this time almost losing his grip.

"Ah! Help!" Kensei heard Mashiro scream. He looked behind him. All his men were clinging onto the ropes, but Mashiro was hanging on the outside of the bridge, the rapids just feet from her kicking legs.

"Mashiro!" Kensei yelled. Mashiro was slipping, and she let out a shriek of terror as another wave was heading their way. Eishima held onto the rope tightly as he tried to reach for her. He extended his arm, wanting Mashiro to do the same, but as she raised her hand, the wave swept over her, and she let go with a terrified scream.

"Lieutenant Kuna!" Eishima cried out. Kensei's heart stopped completely seeing Mashiro swept away like that. All rational thinking went down the drain as Kensei hopped to his feet and leaped off the bridge into the rapids below. "Captain, what are you doing!" Eishima shouted from the bridge as he watched Kensei get carried down stream.

Kensei was overwhelmed by the viscosity of the water. It was so unnatural. This water was being powered by something. That's for sure. Kensei was pushed under the water by a massive wave and was nearly knocked out. He thrashed underwater until his head popped up and he gasped for air.

"Mashiro!" Kensei shouted over the rapids. There was no sign of her at all. Where could she be? Could she have possibly...

"Kensei!" he heard her scream. She was downstream barely able to keep her head above the water.

"Mashiro!" he had to hurry. Swimming with the current, Kensei tried to keep his sight on Mashiro. She was flailing helplessly in the water. She didn't look like she was going to last. The rapids became more and more violent and the water became faster and stronger. Kensei could barely keep himself up. He had to get to Mashrio. He couldn't let her drown.

Mashiro was struggling to keep her head above the water. Everytime she screamed she was cut short by the waves crashing on top of her head. She couldn't swim. Especially not in this water. It was impossible to swim in this. Her arms and legs were weak already from the long journey. She was tired and her mind was drowning in fear. She was going to die. It was inevitable.

"Help me!" she cried out over the water, not that anyone would hear her. Her eyes were shut tightly as the water hit her face, and as she lifted her head up to scream again, the wave crashed over her. The impact sent her spinning out of control submerged. The current was too strong for her and she became dizzy. The lack of oxygen was making her light-headed, and her flailing was slowly weakening by the second. Her vision became blurry before it completely went black, but before Mashiro passed out, she could've sworn she felt something grab her.

* * *

With a small moan of discomfort from the headache pounding in her skull, Mashiro stirred herself awake. She felt cold and a little wet.

"Hey, you awake?" a voice said. Mashiro slowly opened her eyes. She was in a tent with a small fire pit in the center that warmed it up. She was also leaning against something hard... yet soft. Mashiro looked up and saw Kensei staring down at her. She was leaning against Kensei while sitting in his lap... his Captain's jacket was wrapped around her.

"Huh?"she muttered.

"Are you all right?" he asked in a monotone voice. Mashiro was confused. What happened?

"Kensei, what..." she stuttered.

"You fell in the river, remember?" he asked her. He was right. She remembered everything now. "You didn't hurt your head, did you?" he asked. Mashiro shook her head no and Kensei closed his eyes and sighed. "Good. You nearly gave me a heart-attack you know?" he opened his eyes and glared down at her. Mashiro didn't say anything. She couldn't. She was stunned. And not by what happened either. But rather... Kensei's gentleness towards her. She was practically lying in his lap and his haori was wrapped around her securely, and he was worried about her. Kensei really cared about her...

"What are you staring at me like that for?" Kensei asked her suddenly. Mashiro only smiled at him.

"Because..." she started, snuggling into his chest, putting the over-sized sleeves up to her face to hide her blush. "You're stupid, Kensei." she said muffled. Kensei growled at her. "But, I like you stupid." she snuggled against him further, making Kensei blush himself.

"Yeah, well... don't get used to it. And by the way..." Kensei reached into the inner part of his shihakushō and pulled out a clear packaged dangled it in front of Mashiro. Mashiro looked at it and gasped, taking it in her hands.

"Kensei, this is-"

"A taiyaki. I know. I brought an extra along because I knew you were going to whine when the first one was gone that you brought along. I just didn't expect it to fall into the water. Anyway, I got the chocolate one. I know how much you like anything sweet." Kensei said and looked away. Mashiro didn't know what to say. This side of Kensei was one she never saw before... she liked it. And she smiled even wider.

"Oh, you stupid Kensei." she muttered and snuggled into him. Kensei put his arms around her, pulling her towards him.

"Call me that one more time and I'll take it back and throw it in the river like the other one. I mean it." Kensei threatened. Mashiro only giggled as she nibbled on the cake. Maybe Kensei wasn't so stupid after all...

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***Taiyaki is a fish-shaped cake made in Japan. They come in mostly sweet flavors like anko (red bean paste), custard, and chocolate. I think they look pretty good. I'd like to try one myself!**

**I wish Eishima didn't have to die. He was such a cutie. :'(**

**So yeah. There's that. Once everything gets settled with school and my family I PROMISE that I will focus more on my stories. Thanks to all of you who are patient with me. See you guys soon!**


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